1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a multi-dimensional visualization apparatus for observing tissue within a body by using a function of producing ultrasonic tomographic images provided for example in an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus can produce a tomographic image of tissue in a cross section of a body, scanned by its ultrasound probe in contact with the body surface. In order to produce tile ultrasonic tomographic image of, for example, a certain tissue at a particular depth within the body, following operations will be executed. First, the linear-scanning type probe of tile ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus is contacted with the body surface near the tissue. Then, a pulsated ultrasound beam is directed into the body from the probe and the reflected echo is received by the probe. The intensity of this received echo is then displayed along a time axis. By linearly scanning the above-mentioned ultrasound beam from the probe, a single tomographic image can be displayed. For diagnosis of the tissue, it is necessary to observe a plurality of the tomographic images which are produced by displacing the probe perpendicularly to its linear-scanning direction.
According to the conventional ultrasonic diagnosis, a medical doctor is used to find abnormal portions within the body and examines pathologic changes by observing a large number of tomographic images. Therefore, it is necessary for such the diagnosis to have special and high-degree experience and also special skill. In other words, only a medical doctor specially trained can examine the tomographic images.
Furthermore, the conventional ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus is a one utilized mainly for observing viscera, not for observing bone, tendon or muscle tissues of the body. No apparatus can easily observe bone, tendon or muscle tissues without the assistance of expert image-examination technique. Although bone structure of the limbs can be observed by means of radiography, a special qualification will be necessary for treating X-ray and also there may be harmful of X-ray radiation.